Taking No for an Answer and Other Skills Children Need: Developing Empathy, Cooperation, and Respect Through Play

Filled with more than 50 games designed to improve family relationships and social interactions, this book will help parents teach their children 12 basic skills—including listening, making appropriate requests, following directions, problem solving, and respecting boundaries—that will reduce sibling rivalries, eliminate whining and tantrums, stop interruptions, and decrease arguing, backtalk, and insults. The games are presented in an easy-to-follow recipe format, using only common household toys and materials. This is an excellent guide for preventing common family problems before they happen or stop them if an interaction is already out of hand. 

After becoming a foster parent to a little boy with behavior problems, Laurie Simons, MA, discovered her passion and began her career and life’s work: helping parents who are raising challenging children. Laurie now has over thirty years experience teaching parenting skills and helping parents, teachers, and therapists address and prevent children’s difficult behaviors in home, school, and daycare settings.  Laurie currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, and provides online consultation to parents who are raising children with concerning behaviors.